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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2019)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian A2 Tuesday, December 17, 2019 DA won’t file charges against pipeline protesters Gov. Kate Brown supports decision to not file charges for sit-in last month ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press SALEM — A prosecutor in Oregon has declined to file charges against 21 pro- testers who were arrested during a sit-in at the gov- ernor’s office last month as they protested a planned natural gas pipeline and marine terminal, a spokes- woman said Friday. The office of Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson decided on Dec. 11 not to charge the 21 with criminal tres- pass in the second degree, her spokeswoman Amy Queen said in a telephone interview. Gov. Kate Brown’s spokesman said the gover- nor supports the decision. “Gov. Brown supports freedom of expression for all Oregonians, and she agrees with the district attorney’s office that pursu- ing charges would not have been a good use of pub- lic resources,” spokesman Charles Boyle said. Hundreds of protest- ers had come into the Cap- AP Photo/Andrew Selsky Demonstrators against a proposed liquid-natural gas pipeline and export terminal in Oregon flooded into the Oregon Capi- tol in Salem on Nov. 21, 2019, to demand Democratic Gov. Kate Brown stand against the proposal. itol on Nov. 21. Most left within a few hours. But several dozen refused to leave Brown’s office until she opposed the pipeline. She spoke to the protesters by phone, and then in per- son, but did not denounce the pipeline plan. The state police warned the protesters they would be subject to arrest if they remained, and then arrested 21 men and women, who ranged in age from 22 to 78. They were jailed overnight and released in the early morning. “We thought the Oregon State Police reacted safely Forecast for Pendleton Area and appropriately,” Queen said. Protesters say the pipe- line will encourage further use of fossil fuels that leads to global warming, and risk spoiling the land and ocean with spills. Rianna Koppel, who is from Talent and was one of Madras to consider tax on prepared food and beverages TODAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Mostly cloudy and chilly Times of clouds and sun Occasional rain Cloudy and milder Cloudy with a shower possible By KYLE SPURR EO Media Group 36° 26° 39° 34° 54° 38° MADRAS — Madras residents will have a chance in the May election to vote for a tax on prepared foods and beverages that could generate $1 million to address the city’s dete- riorating transportation system. The Madras City Coun- cil last week unanimously approved adding the mea- sure to the May 2020 elec- tion. If approved by voters, the measure would put a 5% sales tax on food and bev- erages at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops in the city. The city estimates the tax would raise about $990,000 each year, which is nearly three times as much as a gas tax generates. Madras Public Works Director Jeff Hurd said the tax will be better able to meet the city’s funding needs for roads without putting the entire burden on local residents. According to tourism and employment data, 70% of the tax would be collected from visitors. PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 46° 43° 55° 46° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 34° 25° 36° 30° 41° 39° 51° 39° 55° 43° OREGON FORECAST ALMANAC Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Seattle Olympia 48/42 38/28 32/24 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 32/24 Lewiston 46/36 33/26 Astoria 50/41 Pullman Yakima 33/24 45/35 43/29 Portland Hermiston 47/37 The Dalles 34/25 Salem Corvallis 43/31 Yesterday Normals Records La Grande 33/26 PRECIPITATION John Day Eugene Bend 44/32 40/28 39/27 Ontario 35/22 Caldwell Burns 30° 19° 39° 27° 66° (1959) -16° (2008) 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Albany 44/31 0.00" 0.10" 0.80" 5.05" 7.20" 9.27" WINDS (in mph) 36/25 28/13 0.00" 0.42" 0.75" 12.00" 9.25" 12.22" through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Pendleton 34/23 45/32 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date HERMISTON Enterprise 36/26 36/27 44° 26° 39° 26° 62° (1942) -12° (1964) PRECIPITATION Moses Lake 46/35 Aberdeen 36/25 29/24 Tacoma Yesterday Normals Records Spokane Wenatchee 49/39 Today Medford 45/30 Wed. NNE 3-6 ESE 4-8 Boardman Pendleton W 3-6 SW 4-8 SUN AND MOON Klamath Falls 35/20 Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2019 Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today 7:30 a.m. 4:12 p.m. 10:32 p.m. 11:47 a.m. Last New First Full Dec 18 Dec 25 Jan 2 Jan 10 NATIONAL EXTREMES Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 90° in Brownsville, Texas Low -35° in Cotton, Minn. those arrested, said she is “thrilled” that the district attorney’s office decided not to file charges. Koppel called on Brown to oppose the project, saying “our land, air, water, and climate are at stake.” The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s final impact statement said it believes the Canadian company behind the Jor- dan Cove Project, Pem- bina Pipeline Corporation, will manage risks. Pem- bina Pipeline Corporation says the project will bring investments, property tax revenue and jobs. The proposed marine terminal, in Coos Bay, would allow export of American liquid natural gas to Asia, and it would have a 230-mile feeder pipeline from an interstate gas hub in Southern Ore- gon’s Klamath County. The pipeline would trans- port the natural gas, which would be converted from a vapor to more compact liq- uid natural gas for export. The impact statement represents the final step in the federal environmental review process before an order is issued by the Fed- eral Energy Regulatory Commission approving the project, expected in Febru- ary 2020, Jordan Cove said. The project is still under- going permitting processes by the state. But in August, the Trump administra- tion proposed streamlining approval of gas pipelines and other energy projects by limiting states’ certifi- cation authorities under the Clean Water Act. NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY The city is facing $14 million in deferred mainte- nance to improve its road- ways, Hurd said. Many roads need more regular preventive maintenance and other roads need to be completely replaced, he said. “We have a lot of exist- ing roads that are beyond the point of repair,” Hurd said. A transportation advi- sory committee has been working for the past year to find a solution on transpor- tation funding in the city. The committee considered a gas tax, vehicle registra- tion fee and a general com- mercial sales tax, but ulti- mately recommended the prepared food tax. Over the past few years, other funding options have not been enough for the city, Hurd said. For example, a state transportation funding package approved in 2017 only provides about $40,000 per year for Madras, Hurd said. The city had to find another way to cover its transportation costs, and that could be accomplished through the prepared food tax, he said. “To fix our infrastruc- ture, we have to do some- thing,” Hurd said. “So we are going to do it.” The transportation advi- sory committee lists sev- eral benefits to the prepared food tax. Specifically, the committee believes the pre- pared food tax is more sen- sitive to low income res- idents because dining at restaurants is more of a choice than a necessity. In addition, the prepared food tax would rise with infla- tion as food prices increase, where a fuel tax would decrease as cars become more fuel efficient. Two other cities in Ore- gon have a prepared food tax. Ashland created its prepared food tax in 1993 and Yachats created its tax in 2008. Both use a 5% sales tax on prepared food and beverages. “We are basically mir- roring what they have done,” Hurd said. “It’s not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination.” BRIEFLY Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort opens for season Saturday NORTH POWDER — Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort will open for the season Saturday. The ski area, 35 miles northwest of Baker City, will operate daily through Jan. 5, except Christmas Day. You can ski with Santa on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to noon. Snowstorms during Thanksgiving week- end helped build a base, and with more snow forecast later this week, officials announced the planned Saturday opening. Skiers and snowboarders are reminded that early season conditions will exist this weekend. Groomed runs will include Broadway, Variety, Vista and Road Run, and on the Nordic trail system the Lake Loop, Campground Loop, Gunsight, Col- lege, College Extension and Training Loop will be groomed. Season passes can be picked up starting at 8 a.m. Saturday in the main lodge. Lift tickets will be sold starting at 8:30 a.m. in the ticket booth. The Rock Garden chairlift, along with the handletow and Magic Car- pet, will start at 9 a.m. — EO Media Group Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -10s -0s 0s showers t-storms 10s rain 20s flurries 30s snow 40s 50s ice 60s cold front E AST O REGONIAN — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed major holidays EastOregonian.com To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255 or go online to EastOregonian.com and click on ‘Subscribe’ East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday and postal holidays, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. 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